"Then there are serpents?" said Jack.

"No, my Jack," replied Mrs. Weldon, "there are no serpents, and you may
sleep tranquilly."

"And lions?" asked Jack.

"Not the ghost of a lion, my good little man," replied Harris.

"Tigers, then?"

"Ask your mama if she has ever heard tell of tigers on this continent."

"Never," replied Mrs. Weldon.

"Good!" said Cousin Benedict, who, by chance, was listening to the
conversation: "if there are neither lions nor tigers in the New World,
which is perfectly true, we at least encounter cougars and jaguars."

"Are they bad?" asked little Jack.

"Phew!" replied Harris; "a native has little fear of attacking those
animals, and we are strong. Stay! Hercules would be strong enough to
crush two jaguars at once, one in each hand!"

"You will watch well, Hercules," then said little Jack, "and if a beast
comes to bite us----"

"It is I who will bite it, Mr. Jack!" replied Hercules, showing his